A federal jury convicted a Norfolk man last week on charges of participating in a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, acetyl-fentanyl and heroin in the Hampton Roads region.
Daniel Carrington (a.k.a. “Eastside” and “E”), 27, was convicted of all five counts related to the drug conspiracy, including distribution of fentanyl resulting in a young woman’s death.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, between early 2017 and May 2020, Carrington traveled to Baltimore, Md., and purchased heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl-fentanyl to resell in Chesapeake and throughout the Hampton Roads region.
The drugs distributed by Carrington resulted in the December 27, 2019 overdose death of a Chesapeake woman, identified in court documents as D.J. Although Carrington was aware of D.J.’s death, he continued to sell fentanyl until his arrest in May 2020.
Evidence introduced at trial included a video of the defendant laughing at his “tester” while he was falling out of consciousness because of a fentanyl dose, and proudly declaring how strong his fentanyl was. Other videos introduced to the jury included large quantities of cash, a firearm, and illegal narcotics.
Text messages introduced at trial showed the defendant knew that he was distributing pure fentanyl and that he was aware of its lethal effects. A medical examiner testified that the levels of fentanyl in the victim’s body were five times the minimum level considered to be lethal by forensic pathologists.
Carrington faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on Oct. 29.